Signal and contact device



April 19135 H, A. BLAKE EI'AL SIGNAL AND CONTACT DEVICE Filed June 7, 1930 30 l; 3 Wu F 6 9N B 4 I W IIP fi A h i um J; m T W #i H F a #4.

HABLA/(f WVE/WOPJ. H

' ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1935 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL AND CONTACT DEVICE Homer A. Blake, Boonton, N. J., and Harold Schmitt, Richmond Hill, N. Y., assignors to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application June 7, 1930, Serial No. 459,703

6 Claims. (Cl. 177-329) This invention relates to signaling and conas is desirable. Each of the recesses contains a tact-making devices and particularly to such despring combination for controlling circuit convices when employed at operators positions in tacts. The spring combination located in the retelephone systems. cess between the partitions 3 and 4, shown also 5 The objects are to combine in a single strucin Figs. 1 and 2, includes the spring members I, 5

ture a signal lamp and a key for controlling con- 8 and 9. The springs 1, 8 and 9 are secured to tacts, to effect economy in the mounting space the mounting structure I byabolt 29 which passes at the operators position, to simplify the duties through the integral portion 28 of said mounting of the operator, and to otherwise improve apstructure. The spring members 5 and 6 located 10 paratus of this character. within the recess formed by the partitions 2 and 10 It has been proposed heretofore to associate 3 are visible in Fig. 3, the third spring member contact-making keys and signal lamps with each being located on the rear side of the structure. other in such a way as to facilitate their identity In a similar manner each of the successive reto the operator. cesses in the housing structure l is equipped with According to the present invention, advantages 9. spring combination. 15 are secured over these prior art devices by com- The two longer springs of each combination,

bining in a unitary structure a contact-making such as the springs l and 9 in Figs. 1 and 2, are key and the associated signal lamp in such a way provided at their free ends with the semi-cirthat the bulb of the lamp is movable, under the cular shaped tips l0 and II respectively. The

control of the operator, from a normal position to purpose of these semi-circular shaped tips is to 20 an operative position, and, when released by the hold the lamp bulb in position as will be explained operator, is restored to its normal position by presently. In the particular combination illusmeans of the contact springs of the key combitrated in the drawing, the electrical contacts are nation, said springs serving to open and close carried by the springs 1 and 8.

electrical contacts in response to movement of Communicating with each of the recesses in 25 the lamp bulb. By this construction, the lamp the housing structure I is a circular aperture and the individual key are definitely associated such as the apertures l2 and I3 illustrated in with each other in the same space. The lamp Fig. 3. These circular apertures receive the movbulb serves not only as a signal butalso as a conable lamp units, each of which serves as a visible 3O tact-actuating element, which the operator seizes signal and also as a key or contact actuating dewhen she wishes to perform the necessary switchvice. The lamp unit for the aperture l3, for exing operation, and the contact springs of the key ample, comprises an elongated electric lamp bulb combination serve to hold the lamp bulb in its nor- I6 having the usual filaments therein. The cirmal position and to restore it to that position cuit terminals of the lamp consist of two metallic when it is released by the operator after having pieces I! and I8 cemented or otherwise suitably 35 been advanced to its operative position. secured to the exterior of the bulb l6. As seen Fig. 1 of the drawing is an enlarged view of one in Figs. 2 and 3, the filament Wi es a brought of the key and lamp units illustrated partly in out through the bulb and connected to the tercross section. In this figure, the parts are illusminals I1 and I8. The lower ends of the tertrated in their normal position. minals I! and I8 are so shaped, as seen in Figs. 1 40 Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 with and 2, as to present cam surfaces which, when the lamp shown in its actuated position. engaged by the semi-circular tips of the springs Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device with l and 9, maintain the bulb in its normal position certain of the parts disassembled. and which serve to restore the bulb to said posi- Fig. 4 is a circuit illustrating one of the uses of tion after it has been depressed to its actuated 45 the device. position. In order to give the terminal pieces Fig. 5 illustrates another use of the device and I7 and I8 the necessary rigidity opposite the cam shows its application to an operators switchboard. surfaces, a small piece of insulating material I!) The combined key and lamp mechanism comis inserted between their free ends.

prises a mounting structure I made of any suit- After the bulb It has been passed into the aperable insulating material. The mounting structure l3 and has been located in its fixed position ture l is provided with a series of openings or rebetween springs l and 9, a sleeve 20 is passed on cesses formed by integral partitions 2, 3, 4 and so over the bulb IS. The upper end of the sleeve forth. While Fig. 3 illustrates only two of these 20 is covered by a translucent lamp cap 2| which recesses, the structure may have as many of these is held in position by an inner sleeve 22. With the sleeve 20 in position, the lamp cap 2| encounters the, upper end of the bulb 06 to prevent further downward movement of the sleeve. With the parts in these positions a pin 68 extending from the surface of the sleeve 20 enters a slot l5.

The assembly is completed by a block of insulating material 23 having a'series of circular apertures 2d, 25, etc. therein, one for each of the lamp units. The block 23 fits on top of the housing structure I and is held securely in position by the end spring pieces 30 and 3 I the upper ends of which enter the notches 26 and 2'! respectively in the block 23. With the block 23 in position, the successive lamp caps and sleeves extend through the openings 26, 25; etc. to a position where they may be readily seized by the operator for depression. The sleeve 20 is held against re- -moval through the opening 25 by means of the it down until the lower edge of the sleeve 20 encounters the shoulder 32 in the housing structure I. This shoulder prevents any further downward movement of the lamp bulb. The bulb I6 as it moves downward, forces the springs l and 9 against their tension until the spring 1 encounters the electrical contact on spring 8, thus closing a circuit between-the springs l and 8. The actuated condition of the device is clearly seen in Fig. 2. Upon release of the'lamp cap 2|, the tension of the springs I and 9 immediately forces the bulb and sleeve back to normal position, opening the contacts on the springs I and 8.

The invention is applicable to a timing device such as illustrated in Fig. 4. When it is desirable to measure an interval of time, key 36 is actuated to close a circuit from battery through the winding of the magnet 35, contact of relay so, contact of key 34 to ground. The magnet 35 contracts its armature and presses the roller 3'? against a time-control driving wheel 36. After the predetermined interval has expired, 9. pin 38 on the roller 31 closes the contacts 39. This lights lamp IE by means of a circuit from battery through the contacts 39, thence through the filament of the lamp E6 to ground. The operator seeing the lamp lighted, seizes the lamp cap and depresses it, closing a circuit from battery through the relay 4!] and contacts of the combined lamp and key to ground. Relay ifl operates and opens the circuit of magnet 35, thus restoring the device to its normal position and extinguishing the lamp.

Another application of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows an operators position, the keyshelf of which is provided with a series of combined. lamps and keys and in the panel of which terminates a group of circuits or trunks 42, 43, etc. Should the operator desire to know if any one of the trunks is'busy, such as the trunk 32, she depresses the combined lamp and key 46 individual to that particular trunk. If the trunk 42 is busy, the individual relay 38 will be in operated condition and a circuit is closed from ground to the contact of said relay, thence through contacts of the combined line and key and the filament of the lamp to battery. The operator, noting the lighting of the lamp, knows that the trunk is busy.

It will be understood that numerous modifications may be made without departing from this invention. For example, the spring combination may assume various forms including normally open contacts and normally closed contacts. It will also be understood that the invention has many applications although only a few have been illustrated.

What is claimed is: a

1. In combination a set of supporting springs having cam surfaces, a bulb, a casing surrounding said bulb, a housing, said bulb and casing being movable within said housing between a normal position and an operated position, a stop block detachably mounted on said housing, a stop pin fixed to said casing, said 'stop block and pin serving to limit the movement of said casing in said housingto said normal position, said housing having'slots through which said pin extends, said slots and pin serving to limit the movement of said casing in said housing to said operated position, filament terminals having cam surfaces and secured to said bulb, and means for mounting said supporting springs on said housing so that a camming action between said spring cam surfaces and said terminal cam surfaces will hold said bulb and casing in their normal position and restore them to their normal positions when displaced to any other position.

2. In combination, a movable bulb, a housing for said bulb, means for limiting the movement of said bulb in said housing between a normal position and an actuated position, terminals secured to said bulb and having cam surfaces, a set of springs having cam surfaces, means for mounting said springs on said housing so that a camming action between the spring cam surfaces and said terminal cam surfaces will hold said bulb in its normal position and restore it to said normal position when displaced to any other po-- sition.

3. In combination, a movable electric lamp bulb, a housing for said bulb, means for limiting the movement of said lamp bulb in said housing between a normal position and an actuated position, terminals having cam surfaces and secured to said lamp bulb, a set of springs having cam surfaces and engaging said terminals to conduct current to the filament of said lamp bulb from said springs, means for mounting said springs ,ortsaid housing so that a camming action between said spring cam surfaces'and said terminal cam surfaces will hold said bulb in its normal position and restore it to said normal position when displaced'to any other position.

4. In combination; a movable bulb, a housing for said bulb, means for limiting the movement of said bulb in said housing between a normal position and an actuated position, terminals having cam surfaces and secured to said bulb, a set of.springs having cam surfaces, means for mounting said springs on said housing so'that a camming action between said spring cam surfaces and said terminal cam surfaces will hold said bulb in its normal position, and so that its camming action will spread said springs when the bulb is moved from its normal position to its actuated position, and so that a camming action will restore the bulb to its normal position when released, an electrical contact, means for mounting said electrical contact on said housing to engage one of said springs when said springs are spread.

5. In combination, a bulb, a housing for said bulb, a casing secured to and surrounding said bulb and slidsbly mounted within said housing, means for limiting the movement of said casing within said housing between a normal and on actuated position, terminals having com sur faces and secured to said bulb, s set of swings having cam surfaces, means Z01" molesting seici springs on said housing so that it seem ng ection between said spring cam surfaces and seicl terminal cam surfaces will hold said casing in its :noimel position escol so that e camts ec= tion between said sim sces will s ed. springs when the is moved from the no? mal position to other position and restore the casing to the normal position when released, an electrical contact one means for mom ting sold electrical contact on said housing to es gage one of said springs when said spris s ore spread.

6. In combination, s housing having slots in its sides, a bulb, a casing secured to and surrounding said bulb and slidotbly mounted in said housing, e. sto e hloclz, means for eleteehehly mounting said step block on said housii a stop pin fixed. easing one. protrutiieg thcough mountiug seizl thil'cl sprhi end terminal seal between the cam surof the other sexing and the other terminal to Eli-SEEK the terminals between the two Sf'flilgs to hold, the casing in its normal position to fie said springs epeut whe said. casing is moved from the normal eositicn i'este it to this position a thiro electrical cont-act movement ceases, and. means tier to maize electrical contact with one 01 said other sylfilfis when said other springs are flexed.

SCHRM to automatically 

